The Hood Kitchen is a market in Costa Mesa. Here, small-batch food makers rent commercial kitchen space (along with tools, consulting, even walk-in fridges) in order to legally prepare their goodies. The scene was out of 19th-century small-town America: butchers breaking down cuts just a couple of tables down from bakers who were sharing their latest creations with the hot sauce guy. From here, the food crafters take their products to other places, with the hope that one day they can leave this wonderful training camp and have a space of their own. Here, the public can buy a good selection of products made at the Hood Kitchen, as well as see people in action through a couple of windows. The wares available are always in rotation (a more permanent selection is online) but can range from delightful Sola Jams to the tasty crystals of the Laguna Co. to the surprisingly tasty Heidi’s Salsa to the adventurous Pernicious Pickling Co. And Toot Sweet’s caramels? Perfectly chewy. More >>